1 Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an electric circuit More particularly, the present invention relates to an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protective circuit.
2 Description of Related Art
In the integrated circuit (IC), the electrostatic discharge is the major damage in the process of the dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and the statistic random access memory (SRAM) or after complete the wafer process. Therefore, an electrostatic discharge protective circuit usually is designed on the circuit and avoids the electrostatic from outside medium. For example, the human body walks on the carpet and carries approximately few hundreds or thousands electrostatic voltage in the status of higher relativity humidity (RH). However, the human body also carries approximately over ten thousands volt of the electrostatic voltage in the status of lower relativity humidity. When those electrified body touches the wafer and the wafer is losing its efficiency by the electrostatic discharge. Nowadays, the electrostatic discharge is the most serious problem in the fabrication of the complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS).
Therefore, there are various kind method that is designed to avoid the wafer damage by the electrostatic discharging. The most common conventional method is utilizing the hardware to avoid the electrostatic discharging, which is designed and the internal circuit on an electrostatic discharge protective circuit between the internal circuit and every bonding pad. Currently, the electrostatic discharge problem is the most malfunction cases on the deep sub-micro, or on the even smaller integrated circuit. Therefore, a method for improving the efficiency of the electrostatic discharge protective circuit is greatly intended by the manufacturers.
FIG. 1 through FIG. 3 show three conventional designs of the electrostatic discharge protective circuit. Referring to FIG. 1, the electrostatic discharge protective circuit, which is used in an overvoltage tolerant output buffer, connects in series with a P-type metal-oxide semiconductor (PMOS) transistor 42, two N-type metal-oxide semiconductor (NMOS) transistors 44 and 46. The drain regions of the NMOS transistor 44 and the PMOS transistor 42 are connected to a bonding pad 52. A source region of the PMOS transistor 42 connects to a system power source. A source region of the NMOS transistor 46 connects to a grounded node. The gates of the PMOS transistor 42 and the NMOS transistor 46 can receive the output of a pre-stage driver 50. Therefore, the gate of the NMOS transistor 46 is turned on. Also, and the gate of NMOS transistor 44 connects to the system power source, wherein since the gate of NMOS transistor 44 is connected to the system power source, it can maintain a stable voltage to avoid a high voltage on the NMOS transistor 46. For example, a 5 volts voltage can cause an issue of poor reliability. The bonding pad 52 can be connected to a signal with a voltage greater than Vcc. The NMOS transistor 46 is usually operated at 3.3 volts.
FIG. 1 shows a circuit design using an output buffer as the electrostatic discharge protective circuit, which is used in an overvoltage tolerant output buffer.
FIG. 2 shows the conventional design of the electrostatic discharge protective circuit. It is a similar design as like FIG. 1, but used in an overvoltage tolerant input buffer. Here, a gate electrode of the PMOS transistor 42 is connected to a well control circuit, and gate electrode of the NMOS transistor 46 connects to the grounded node.
Moreover, FIG. 3 shows the electrostatic discharge protective circuit used in a conventional non-overvoltage tolerant input buffer, where the design includes two sets of protective circuit, and connected in parallel. Because effects of the parasitic capacitance 60 and diode of the MOS transistor, it also can conduct the electrostatic charges to the grounded node or the power source. In the foregoing description of the conventional design of the electrostatic discharge protective circuit, all the protective ability is either insufficient or not being used in the overvoltage tolerant input/output buffer.
The invention provides electrostatic discharge protective circuit, that includes a first PMOS transistor, a first NMOS transistor and a second NMOS transistor and they all connect in series. More particularly, the first PMOS transistor of a source region connects to a system power source, and a drain region connects to a conductive pad, and a gate receives output of the pre-stage driver, and the base is connected to the well control circuit. A gate of the first NMOS transistor connects to a first node A. A gate of the second NMOS transistor connects to a third node C, and one source region connects to a grounded node. The third node C also can receive output of the pre-stage driver. There is a first resistor in between the first node A and the system power source. There is a second PMOS transistor in between the first node A and the third node C. The source region connects to the node A and the drain regions connects to node C., and the substrate of the second PMOS transistor also connects to the first node A. Moreover, a gate of the second PMOS transistor connects to a second node B. There is a second resistor that connected between the second node B and the system power source, and there is a capacitor that connects between the second node B and the grounded node.
In the foregoing descriptions, when an electrostatic pulse enters through the conductive pad, because the second NMOS transistor has the equivalence capacitor, the voltage of the first node A rises. Also and, because the capacitor exists between the second node B and the grounded node, and the second node B voltage is equal to zero. Then the voltage of the third node C rises up, because the second PMOS transistor is turned on. As a result, the electrostatic pulse entering from the conductive pad can lead the electrostatic pulse to the grounded node through the first and the second NMOS transistors connected in series.
The invention also provides an electrostatic protective circuit. It can protect an internal circuit, comprising a first P-type metal-oxide semiconductor (PMOS) transistor, a first N-type metal-oxide semiconductor (NMOS) transistor, and a second NMOS transistor and they all connected in series. More particularly the first PMOS transistor of a source region, a gate electrode, and a drain regionrespectively connect to a system power source, a well control circuit, and a conductive pad, and the conductive pad is connected to the input buffer 58. A gate of the first NMOS transistor connects to the first node A. A gate of the second NMOS transistor connects to a third node C. Source/drain regions of the second NMOS transistor respectively connects to a grounded node and the third node C. Also it includes a first resistor that connected between the first node A and the system power source. A second PMOS transistor is connected between the first node A and the third node C, where a substrate of the second PMOS transistor is also connected to the first node A, and a gate of the second PMOS transistor is connected to a second node B. A second resistor connects in between the second mode B and the system power source. A capacitor is connected between the second node B and the grounded node. A third NMOS transistor has a gate electrode, a source region, a drain region, respectively connected to the third node C, the grounded node, and the second node B.
In the foregoing, when an electrostatic pulse entries from the conductive pad, because the second NMOS transistor has the equivalent capacitor, the voltage of the first node A rises up. Also and, because the capacitor connected between the second node B and the grounded node and the voltage of second node B is equal to zero. Therefore the second PMOS transistor between the first node A and the third node C is turned on. Then, the third node C voltage rises up, and thereby the second NMOS transistor is also turned on. However, the third NMOS transistor maintains at the xe2x80x9cOFFxe2x80x9d state. Thereby, the voltage of the third node C rises up and it turns on the second NMOS transistor. As a result, it entries from the electrostatic pulse entering from the conductive pad and can be connected to the grounded node. The first and second NMOS transistors connected in series.
In the forgoing descriptions, the resistor forms by a PMOS resistor. More particularly, the gate connects to the grounded node, and the substrate connects to the power source.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.